


Petals

by greywardenblue



Series: Playing with Dead Things [2]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-20
Updated: 2017-10-20
Packaged: 2019-01-20 07:57:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12428337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greywardenblue/pseuds/greywardenblue
Summary: Edge and Lucio were close when the latter was a mercenary, but they had not talked since he got married and became Count of Vesuvia. At this year masquerade, their paths cross again.





	Petals

**Author's Note:**

  * For [pakunoduh](https://archiveofourown.org/users/pakunoduh/gifts).



He is the center of attention, as he always is - but especially now. It’s like the whole city state is here, in this one palace, hiding their faces under masks to celebrate the birthday of one man.

Edge watches from the sidelines and focuses on his breathing to keep his chest from feeling too tight. Lucio - _Count_ Lucio - is radiant in his costume, soaking in the compliments and the attention from all directions.

He’s been Count for a couple of years now, but Edge still has to remind himself to add the title to his name. He’d slipped up before and got strange looks from his conversation partners for talking so casually about the Count, but strange looks are nothing he’s not used to.

It’s just so difficult to stop calling him _Lucio,_  when Edge still remembers moaning the name as his nails dug into the man’s skin, just a few years ago.

Of course, Lucio was unmarried then, and a mercenary instead of a Count. Edge worked on battlefields, not in a small clinic set up by his guardian.

Someone bumps into him and spills wine on his outfit. Edge draws in a sharp breath, and the masked stranger starts apologising. They insist on helping for several minutes while Edge tries to reassure them it’s alright even though it’s not, but really, secretly he just wants them to leave him alone and brood about his ruined suit in peace.

When the stranger finally leaves and Edge looks back, he can’t find Lucio in the crowd.

That’s strange. Lucio _never_ gets lost in a crowd. Edge straightens his back and looks more closely, trying to find the bright red and grey outfit that makes the Count look like a phoenix rising out of its ashes.

“May I have this dance?”

Edge turns, and finds himself face-to-face with--

“Lucio.” The name falls from his lips before he can stop it, and he swallows. The Count laughs sharply, a threat hiding beneath the amusement.

“First name basis already? And they tell me I’m the one who moves fast.”

 _He doesn’t recognise me_. Edge feels like someone just punched him, until he remembers he’s wearing a mask. He instinctively reaches out to take it off, but his hand stops halfway and he settles for speaking instead.

“Oh, no, it’s-- it’s me, Edge. The medic’s assistant.”

Lucio is quiet for a few moments, his face unreadable under the mask, and Edge is ready to be swallowed by the ground. _He still doesn’t remember me. Why would he, I didn’t matter_ \--

“Edgar.” Lucio says the name exactly like he used to, years ago. “Fancy meeting you here.” Suddenly, every syllable of his speech is filled with lust and desire and Edge shivers. Lucio gets bored of waiting for an answer, as he always does, and pulls him onto the dance floor before Edge can protest.

Not that he would protest. This is the first time in years that he can feel Lucio’s arms around him, their chests intimately close in the dance, and Edge feels like he’s coming alive after a long sleep.

“What a lovely birthday present you are,” Lucio breathes in his ear as he leads the dance, and Edge can feel every particle of him responding with excitement and anticipation. “I can’t wait to unwrap you later.”

Wait… this isn’t right.

“But you’re married,” Edge stammers out, and Lucio laughs so loudly that he turns heads. His next words are quieter, and Edge is thankful for that.

“And yet you’ve been watching me all evening. Am I supposed to believe you were only hoping for a dance?”

Edge can feel colour rise in his cheeks. He was _wishing_ for a lot more, but he didn’t _expect_ Lucio to even notice, let alone acknowledge him.

“Nadia doesn’t mind,” Lucio says quietly. He seems amused by Edge’s protest, but he must realise that the younger man is genuinely worried about the implications. “We have an agreement,” the Count says right before he spins Edge around and then catches him in his arms again.

“An agreement?” Edge is still skeptical, and he hates himself for the fact that he wants to accept Lucio’s excuse and just go with it.

The song changes too quickly and a woman in a mask boldly steps closer, asking Lucio for the next dance. The Count pulls a white rose from his button hole and sticks it in Edge’s instead.

“I’ll see you later.” It’s hard to tell in the mask, but Edge is fairly sure Lucio winks before leaving him alone.

\--

And he does.

Lucio dances with many other people that night, but he finds Edge as the party is closing and pulls him away so quickly and subtly that Edge actually believes nobody saw them.

The passion of the night is so familiar that Edge almost forgets things are different now. He falls asleep in Lucio’s arms again after several years, and his body might be aching but his heart is at peace.

\--

The next morning, Edge tries to gently escape a seemingly sleeping Lucio’s arms but the Count pulls him back firmly, burying his face in Edge’s neck.

“What’s the rush?”

Edge smiles. He knows he should get up, but it’s too easy to sink back into the bed.

“I came here with a friend yesterday. Given that I ditched her for you, it might be nice to check in and show her I’m alive… maybe even apologise.”

Lucio snorts without opening his eyes.

“That can wait.”

Edge gives in, but before he can get too comfortable, there is a knock on the door. Lucio groans.

“I’m naked and busy! Go away!”

“It’s Estela, sir. I’ve got a message from the Countess.”

Lucio is silent for a few seconds then lets go of Edge to sit up, stretching towards the ceiling and with seemingly no intention of covering himself.

“Come in.”

Edge is alarmed and pulls the covers up to his neck, but freezes when he sees the woman who enters the room.

She looks almost too noble to be a servant, her dark skin and her beauty spots making her look like the night sky, her dark hair cascading down her shoulders like a waterfall.

More than that, she practically radiates magic. Perhaps someone not trained in similar arts would not realise what they are looking at, but from one glance, Edge can tell she is powerful.

The woman - Estela? - seems entirely unaffected by both Edge’s presence and the lack of anything covering Lucio’s body as she walks around the bed to hand the Count a folded note.

“What does Nadia want this early?” Lucio asks as he takes and unfolds it, and the woman shrugs.

“I wouldn’t know. I haven’t read it.”

Lucio smirks, his eyes scanning the note.

“So, you’re not prying into our relationship? That would be a first.”

Estela stands silently with her hands politely in front of her, her face revealing no emotions.

Finally, Lucio crumples the note into a ball and throws it off the bed.

“Classic Nadia,” he says flippantly, then looks at Estela. “Are you just going to stand there, sweetheart?”

As if she was only waiting for permission, Estela climbs in Lucio’s lap and presses against him like a cat. The surprise must be obvious on Edge’s face, but neither of the pair is looking at him.

“How was your night?” Lucio probes, his hand going up to unbutton the top few buttons of Estela’s dress.

“You mean after you ditched me for the first cute boy that walked in? Splendid, actually. Plenty of fun to be had without you, as it turns out.”

Edge suddenly feels uncomfortable under the covers, but Lucio only laughs.

“Edgar and I go way back, darling. Besides, you already had a lavender, I figured you’d be fine.” He presses his lips to Estela’s neck, and Edge is almost sure he bites down. “Greed is not a virtue, _Estela_.”

He says her name full of lust and desire, and Edge focuses on keeping his breathing steady. Estela shakes her head in disbelief and then looks straight at Edge, who immediately tenses.

“Am I the only one who finds him saying that ironic?” Her smile is conspiratory with no sign of the jealousy Edge is trying to fight, and that eases his tension a little. He forces a smile in return.

“Maybe a little, yes.”

Lucio scoffs but reaches out with his free hand to pull Edge closer, the other resting on Estela’s waist.

“You two are sure quick to team up against me,” he says as he presses a kiss to Edge’s forehead, then turns back to Estela. “But I never claimed to be a virtuous man. You, however, are  a proper young lady…”

Estela laughs freely and shifts in Lucio’s lap, earning an approving sound from the Count.

“ _A proper young lady,_ right. My mama would be so happy you said that, though I’m not sure she’d believe it.”

Lucio shakes his head.

“Well, as ironic as that is, I believe I’d better get dressed and go talk to my wife. Estela, would you be a dear and escort my guest out?”

Estela nods and slips off Lucio’s lap. Edge tries to get up as well, but Lucio pulls him back for a last kiss.

“I’ll be seeing you,” he promises, and Edge smiles as he gathers his things and quickly follows the woman out.

\--

“Try to act natural, but there is really no good way to do this,” Estela says as they walk out.

“Experience?” Edge asks, fiddling with his sleeve that just won’t fold nicely.

“Now, why would you ever say that,” Estela drawls innocently. “I am the Countess’s favourite handmaiden, loyal to her only.” There is a pause. “I just happen to like both lavenders and roses. I can’t help it. I’m a flower kind of gal.”

Edge nods absent-mindedly.

“What about you?” she questions after a short silence. “Only roses, or the lavenders too?”

“Uh…” _What the hell is she talking about?_ “Well, my favourite flower is Queen Anne’s lace, actually.”

Estela raises an eyebrow and looks amused, but says nothing.

They walk in silence for a while and Edge wonders if he should say something, but the woman doesn’t seem too eager to break it.

Suddenly, she turns to look at him.

“You have a petal stuck on your clothes,” she says lightly and reaches out to take it off. She holds the white rose petal in her palm and it withers in a second until there’s nothing left. “No wonder Consul Valerius was trying to murder you with his eyes when we walked past. At first I thought he was just looking at me.”

Edge blinks in confusion. “Really?” He tries to remember anyone looking at him strangely, but he rarely pays attention to his surroundings. “I didn’t notice.”

Estela shrugs. “He might be offended by that, but I don’t blame you. He’s not as memorable as he thinks.”

Neither of them says anything else until they reach the gate. Once there, Estela claps her hands together and looks at him. “Well, see you next year, I suppose.” A pause, then a smile. “But please don’t be offended if I steal your prize.”

She turns and walks away without another word, and Edge stares after her in shock for a few moments before walking in the other direction.


End file.
